Improvement-in ocean-telegraphs



NO 52 522 PATENTED PEB.1-3, 1866.

Cm W. BOWLSBY. QGEAN TELEGRAPHr 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

their auxiliaries, the signal-buoys and. other[ 1 is a general view ofthe device in 'ertica-l re STATES PATENT raise.

BoWLsBY, or

orison, MICHLGAN.

FHSL

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 52,522. dated February13, 1866'.

To all wh m it may cont-0r 3e it known that l, GEORGE BOWLSBY, ofMonroe, in the county of Monroe aniigState of Michigan, have invented anew and improredl ilodc ct Ucean-Telegrapliing; and 1 do hereby declarethat the following is a. full and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters of referencemarlseii thereon.

The nature or lay-intention consists in aseries of electric submarinetelegraphic cables somewhat similar in manufacture to those now in use,or, in other words, an ocean electric telegraphic cable divided intosections of suitable length and connected by means of ships, which aremoored to their places at sea, by proper weights, anchors, and cables,and also by proper buoys, signals, &c., for finding such moorings orstations when abandoned tempo-v rarily by the vessel because of stormsand various causes necessary in the working of the line, and also ofproper devices forsupporlin'g the cables in the water between thesurface and the bottom, and also of many other aux iliaries to theproper, convenient, and profitable working of the line and itsdependencies, which will be described in this specification.

'lhe different parts are: the flying stations, consisting of ships orsteamers and their tenders, the sections of electric cable,thefastening-cables and their buoys, the moorings withsignal-iixtures,the bell-buoys, the water-proof chest for packing theends of the cables when the station is abandoned temporarily by theship, and other minor devioesforcarryin 9; them into'etiect. v I I Inthe accompanying drawings, Sheet So,

elevation, showing the stations, one occupied by thesteemer 35' orfiyingstation, and the other temporarilyabandoned with signals set,- bywhich to direct thcrcturii ot' thc flying station toits moorings B t r rSheet No. 2 shows the difi'ercnt parts in dotail. Figure 1 shows thegreat surface-buoy with signals E if} set, packingboxll, and lanyard lin place, and the electric cable A pass mg; throughit, box-traveler l"-,and bell-buoy u attached. Figs. 2,3, and 4 are different views of thegreat mooring and its auxiliaries K K ll P 1?, Figs. 5, 6, T aremodifications cable leaves the bottom to of the mooring-cablechain-links. -Figs. S and 9 of the electric and mooring cable buoys insection, showing the interior braces. Fig. 10 of the electric cable'nearand a ends of sections, showing enlar 'em'ent between sea. bottom andsurface. 1 lg. 110i packing-box and Fig. of electric-cable weights.Fig'.'13 of the joining-s oi the compartments of the great surface-buoy;Fig. l4 of the hol 10w links inthe mooring-cable before'welding. Fig. 15shows the llag-stali' sockets. Fig. shows the grooves in the -mooringsfor the flanges. modified. l igs. l8andl9are sectionsol mooring-cablcbuoys and links. Fig. 20 is a, holler: mooring-cable link in section,(verticah) with solid ends D Similar letters of reference refer to likeparts.

A, Sheet 1, is the cable in sections, passing from one station to theother along the bottom of the sea, and passing to-and from thesurface ofthe water at intervals of twenty-five, fifty, one hundred, oriirchundred miles, more or less, as proves most profitable in thetlifl'erent localities. ll; may be made of large sizesay two or tlireinches, or even more, in diameteras ii; will be laden on dili'ereni;vessels, and, being so short, will not overload the ship'by its bulk. itmay also have a large number of UUIHlllUiillgrn'll'flfi, even hundreds,because of its great'size. These wires may alsobe made larger thah thoseheretofore in jiisoin ocean-cables for the some reason. {The whole cablemay also, it small, be cnlargetl'at the ends to strengthen it, as shownin Fig. ill.

Buoys 0, ol'just suiiicient capacity and number to balance the weight ofthe cable-from the bottom to the surface, are bent on at properintervals along the wire, so that thereneetl be.

no unduostrain upontlio greal; buoy, Fig. l. i

The ends thatrcach the surface arepassed into the ship 13; oneuench sideor both on one side, as most con'\ enienr,aml communi cate with theoperating room and instruments,

and the messages are repeatedirom one 8 h.-

tion to another, or past stations. according to the working strength ofthe currents onthe wires for the time andother circumstances attendingit; At the point where the electric go to the surface a smallmooring,'e, may be,

Fig. 17 the packing-box closed and madolfast to it to The buoys are madein the'com-rnon manner,v

2 cease keep iti'roni dragging about with the pressure of'thebuoys 0 andthe swi i'g'ot the shi'pto the difierent" poiiitsbf the compass inihewind. 1 r' The buoys, in; "very deep water shonld' be. braced acrossthoroughly inside ,to prevent collapse of the wallsby the immensepressure, and particularly at the join'tsto prevent leak This bracingis. shown in Figs. Sand-9.

of plates .ofiroh joined'into a water-proof'aircha|nber,.and oftheproper size and number ways, among which are thoseshowu .in Fig.

for just sufficientlybuoyingup themselves and i also the weightofthecable added.

At B and B are'the stations where the ca- ,bles come to the surface andpass into the ship.

Theyare surveyed and charted upon the map in a precise point of latitudeand longitude, so that they can be readily found by the telegraph-shipsand all the shipping of the world,

and are occupied in the following manner: r A mooring, Figs. 2, 3,4,Sheetfl, is sunk to the bottom, of great weight, and, with itsauxiliaries l P R, sufiicient'to hold a ship or steamer steadily inplace on the surface in fair weather by means of a cable, 1), which isself-supporting, and a long mast-like buoy, Fig. 1,:1t top. to which thetelegraph-ship B is tied in fair weather, and in ,foul weather asignaL'E. is set at the top of this. consisting'of a tall fla stafi',with or without other signals, as flags, balls. and other well-knownmeans of sighting objects at long distances, andthe ship then'abandonsits moorings till a return of fair weather, when, by means ofsaid signals, to-.

gether with proper observations for latitude amllongitmle, it linds itsstation. These sta-. tions should be planted at convenientdistances forall the objects of the line, and on the'most frequented-routes of travelbetween great martsot' commerce. for the accommodation of shipping intransit, as well as for the terinini of communication, and may branchoff .vate the signals a great distance in the air,

and also to hold the packing-box, Fig. 11, below the agitated surface inquiet water while the ship is absent from the station, and. also tocompensate for any urplus weight in the appendages and for accumulationsof deposits on the buoy and lines, and to provide for accidental leakageof itself or the buoys below. It has a ring, Q, at its foot for thegreat mooring-cahle,a traveler, F, of iron rod or rope, its wholelength, and proper staples or a socket, Fig. 15, or other means at topof fastening in place the .siguahstafi E. It is best to make it ofdifi'erent compartments, and then waterproof. for the followingpurposes:greater con;

venience in transporting it to its place of destination, of sinking itto its proper place in i'he sea, and otiiftiug'it out; of the sea forre"- pairs, and also-that, if t suddenly leaks and tends to"fill,-"oiiiyfoiieof the tanks will fill;

otherwiseitworild sink and carry with it the whole'lixtnresotthestationif the ship were. tiliJSSlii'fdXr thejtime, and thus destroy the work-,hrgptthe two adjoiniugcables till relairl,

The compartment-s may he joined in various 1, and in R. and 0, Fig. 13.In Fig. 1 the joints are stepped into each other, and the flanges, asshown in S, Fig. 13, are bolted through and through with screw or keybolts, so thatthey can be separated when necessary. in E, Fig. 13, areflanges a, projected outward, and jamming up againsteaoh other, andthrosgh' the lianges, which stand at right-angles with the walls of thetanks, short bolts pass vertically, and are secured with screwnuts orkeys.

The traveler F may be a rigid rod of iron the whole length ofthe buoy,and secured at a short distance from and parallel. to it by elbow-jointss s at each end. The socket or staples, Fig. 15, orother iastenings forthe signal-staff, may be made in any desirable and convenient manner.The bell-buoy n will be made as well known. and attached to the footringQoi' the great buoy by a rope-cable, b,

and given a sufficient length to clear it from all danger of collisionwith the other buoy.

Figs. 2, 3', and 4.- areviews of the great mooririgs and theirauxiliaries. They consist, first, of an immense mass of iron,haviugconsiderable breadth andv width, been? little comparativethickness, and weig hing from two or three tons to ahundrerhmore orless, with a. strong ring, G. in the center of the top for the shipscable D to enter, and other rings, H, at the corners to tie theauxiliary anchors or moorings Ito.

Iron stakes P P P, either fiat, square, plain,

or barbed, or spiral like an anger, may be bedded into the under side ofthe moorings, having the same effect as the flanges K, or any otherconvenient'devioe that will sink into and take hold of the mud upon thebotfi tom of their own accord. (See the different forms at P P 1?, Fig.ti)

Other fixturesmay be added to these, as broad thin flanges K, Fig. 2,bolted to the lower edges of the moorings and extending electric circuitpast that station to the next. a

5, 6. and 7 are modifications of the lowering-cable, made ofwater-proof" an; nders stapled together, Fig. 7, or ot'romr aed o'rcovedair-chambers m, inclosed in either or hollow links, Figs. 6 and 1b, orof round chambersnot inclosed, Fig". 5, and various other modificationser self-supporting chains, of iron tanks, or otT-buoys strung upon ca doof rope or chain orwires, as seen at D, station B.v The buoys should bebraced across internally in those that are strung on the cable at greatdepths, to prerent collapse by the pressure of the water-externally.(Seelfigs. S and 9.)

it found necessary, the electric cables may be enlarged at; the ends, asin Fig. 10. for increased strength.

Fig. 11 shows the box for packing the ends of the cable in when thrownoverboard in a storm, and is an iron chest ot'suitable size and form,the joints being: packed with rubber, as also the apertures L L wherethe ends of the cable enter. Inside of this the conductingwires areproperly joined to complete the The cable is laid in the-rubber beds LLin the apertures, and the'two halves of the chestarc joined by powerfulscrew clamps and bolts u 10 and hands 1; a passing around the chest, orby logs or flanges upon the edges of the seam or elsewhere. Upon oneside of the box the bands have loops to to, which open out by hinges :cm and pass around the traveler F which fits loosely into the loops. Thebox is then closed, when the ends of the bands c c, which project fromthe front edge. of the cover, lock down onto the straps v o. Thescrew-bolts are then inserted in the lugs 31 3}, and the box is loweredto the bottom of the great surface-buoy in 'still water by the lanyardF, and when the ship returns to its station the box and cable 'arelifted on board again by the lanyard F,

the signals E are taken in aboard, and the line is again complete. Abell-buoy, n, is attached to the foot ot'the great buoy to assist infinding the station, especially at night and in fogs. Small moorings maybe set zit-"the" point where the electric cable leaves the ground to goto the surface, and tied to it to prevent its swinging around with theveering ot the vessci or the upper end, and to overcome any extrabuoyancy of the fixtures on the ,perpen dicular ends of the cables. Theyare .show(n in Fig. 12. r

Fig. 13 shows the joinings-ot' .the compartments of the greatsurfacelbnogg and consist through from side to side.

.-extendingontwardjrom the ends of open tubes P reaching ing' cable Bbefore welded down and drawn heyon d-the air-chambers, which slip intoeach other and are bolted B. shows flanges and jamming impossible to doby any Fig. 15 shows the flag-staff setting. In tthe socket or cylinderfor the reception of the stat? is on the inside of thetube that islifted into the air. In (2 it is on the outside.

Fig. 16 shows the groovcsf in the under side of the moorings for theflanges K, with the bolts passing through them from the edges. They mayalso be packed with lead, instead ot the bolts.

Fig. 17 shows the packing-box closed eady l'or throwing overboard, andalso with the apertures L L both on one side, in which casetheconnection of the conducting-wires on the inside will be bent shortto match them, and the cables will then both pass out at the under sideof the box, directly downward, without any bend in the cable proper.

Figs. 18 and 19 are cross-sections, of the mooring-cable. D is atop Viewof one of the air-chamhersin Fig. l) is a cross-section of the same. inperspective, showing one halt. D is a cross-section ot'one of the.hollow links in Fig. 6, with'the iuclosed chamber m having the cornersrounded. l) is a top View of the same.

Fig. 20 is a vertical section of hollow link, in which the ends D aresolid to increase the tortive strength, and also to prevent the wearthrough ot' the chafing-links into the air-chainber of the link.'

Havingdescribed my invention, 1 will set forth some of its advantagesover other ocean telegraphs now in use, and also some of the uses towhich it will necessarily be applied independcntoteleetric tclegraphing,and some of which are of as much or more importance than theconununieatiou with the opposite shores.

First, it makes it possible to telegraph by electric current across awide and deep expanse of ocean, which, with a continuous cable, ii; is

known means practically, because principally of the waste of electricforce from imperfect insulation; out there are other causes whichoperate to add to the difficulty, one of which is 'indnctiomeren wherethe insulation is comparatively perfect, and which .is increased bytheiininenee pressure exerted by the overhanging bod y of water,

and also by thehigh conducting powers of the medium through which thecable passes, consisting ocean-water, mud, and minerals, &c. all goodconductors-and to add to theresistance nearly all ocean-cables will haveto he laid acrossthe eartlrcurrents, instead of along with them, therebygreatly increasing the resistance to the free passage of the artificialcurrent. The earth, in its revolution on axis, sends the electric fluid,by centrifugal force, totne circumference, and draws the supply from thecenter. 0n reaching the sur face it moves in right lines to the nearestpole,

where it enters atthe magnetic pole-a point near the entire absence ofrotary modem-and travels down the statioz'ia-ry line called the axis,and returns again to the surface, '8 so on continually. These currentsare of rying, but generally too great, intensity to permit theprofitable working-of long deepsea-lines, and impossible in the case ofthe great ocean stretches. These currents also attach the line\vitlftiie.v advantage of great pressure. The overlying weight forcesthe "ultimate atoms oi water between the ultimate atoms at theinsulator, and every little cell in the cable is soon tilled with theseminute stepping-stones, on which thenatural. currents leap across andthrough the artificial current, carrying along" with them, little bylittle, the fluid from the wires, and thus step by step the force growsweaker, till it is finally all clestroyed. Thiscan be overcomeouly bypowerful batteries exerted through short circuits, and by thickerinsulation. The powerful hatteries make the force'of the current greaterthan the aggregate force of the counter-currents. The short circuitsenable the signals to reach. their destination before they arestopped-by the induction, and the thicker insulation prevents thestepping-stones from reaching the wires in so great number, andtherefore retardsthe leaping of the enemy across the path. From thesereasons I am fully convinced that a continuous cable cannot he workedsuccessfully across even the Atlantic, although laid upon the famousplateau. I

But another advantage, and perhaps the greatest, is the benefit, directand indirect, not only to commerce generally, but to shipping intransit. it will be a great inducement to all vessels to travel alongthe route, and thus addto each others safety and convenience. Every shipowner and consignee may know just where his property is, and whatcondition it is in all the time, and when they may expect ocean highwayassist each other, like travelers along a frequented road. Beforeleaving its station the ship may notify the next stations each way ofthe direction, force, particulars of the coming storm,- ioe fieldsandbergs, &c.,, and thus notify-all the shipping along the whole line tomore out of its path and thus avoid it altogether. A snpercargo maywatch the market quotations all the way across the sea, and so preparehimsc'if'for his sales on arrival.

It will so increase the conveniences of conimerce as to greatly increasethe commerce itself, and the ocean will soon he a peopled continentalive with the rush of travel. Trail-- ing vessels will flock along theline and belighters, the, and become means of communication come tugs,salvors, mail harges,

and other .i v eases generally between the stations and passing ships.Ihe routes will soon become immense mail-lines for the exchange ofletters, sale oi newspapers,.carriage of parcels, &c. Express companieswill he established, and most of the -transitconveniences of the landwill be created for the new order of things. Every passengercan have hisdaily papers, eyen from both shores, thus breaking up the monotony of asea yoyage; can communicate with his friends quickly and cheaply, (forhundreds of wires will soon be at work to supply. the demand,) and morefull y every day and hour by letter, and it he finds it necessary toreturn while yet at sea, can do so by waiting at a station the hourlyarrivals of returning" vessels. Pirates could not prey so readily uponweaker vessels because of, so many enemies within lldll. Beinginsections, it may be laid with-safe y, as fairweather only need bechosen. it can, all he laid within a few hours, from one shore to theother, after the station-moorings are all set, as each vessel will haveto steam but a short d'istanccto connect with the others. The electriccable can be made oi any desirable dimensions antl any number of wiresand any thickness of insulatiouend if any of it'fails only thedefective-piece need he laid aside,- and thatonly temporarily, as, beingso strong, it can be raised, instead of losing the whole line, as inlong weak cables. Many such lines may be laid-across the same ships whenneeded. Many intermediate stations may he, posted along the route forseparate lines, thus short ening the distance between the safety-beaconsand cheapening' the priceof connnunication, I Shipping would travel-soclosely, alon-gf the routethatnll sunken rocks could be well known andguardethaml so avoided. Electric lights may be used on board thestationsto signal passers and act as beacons and light up thesurrounding fogs. The supply of electric fluid for all purposes may begenerated by the engines of" the stations. A passing ship;.may send amessage at one station and receive a reply at another. The messagescould lie-written rapidly, because of so little resistance, and atherefore cheaply. The curren t bein g5 so strong, llcss mistakes wouldbe made in writing. What I claim, and desire to secure by Let- 'ters-Batent, is-- l. The flying-telegraph stations B, consis inp; of ships orsteamers, when. used for the purpose specified, and. in combination withthepertnaneut stations B and the partiallysuoinerged electriccablesections.

2. The electricoable. sections, lying for the niostpart upon the bottomof the sea, and the ends coming-to the surface of the water andsupported by buoys, substantially as described. 3. The combination ofmoorings, Figs. 2, 3, and 4, Sheet 2, with buoys B and B, cables D D,and auxiliaries 1 1,1? P, K K, H H,anai G, Sheet hand made substantiallyin the man nerclescrihee, and for the purpose specified."

- A The water-proof packing-chest, Figail and 17 with its appurtenances,for the joinin; of'the ends of thee-ables, or any mechanicalmodification of the same for the same object, find substantiallysimilar.

5. The combination of the great buoy, Fig. 1, with its traveler Fhell-buoy n, detachahie signals E E, separate waterproof-compartmentsh,-joining flanges and fastenings up i; but 1 do not claim any of themspecially and separately.

6. The hollow-linked mooring-cable, Figs. 5,

6, 7, 14, 18, 19, 20, with the inolosed waterproof chamber m, forself-support in the Water.

7. The flanged and staked moorings shown in Figs. 2, 3. and 4,'f0r thepurpose of adding to the weight of the mooring by taking Fig. 20.)

GEORGE W. BOWLSBY Witnesses:

GUeTAvE VERGHQ, LOUIS FREmENBERe

